Adstine silvester



(No Model.)

@ M j gz A. s. McDERMOTT.

Propi Patented April 19, I881;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

AUSTINE S. MODERMOTT, OF MELLERAY, IOWA.

PROP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 240,437, dated April 19, 1881'.

Application filed September 20, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUSTINE S. IVIGDER- MOTT, of Melleray, in the county of Dubuque and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Props; and I do here by declare that the following is a full and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

In the use of thrashing-machines, hullers, and other portable machinery used in agriculture it is found when the machine is at work that the motion produces a lateral movement of the entire machine, extremely inconvenient in practice, and also a considerable vibration and shaking of the outer casing, which is very injurious, rendering the wear and tear of the wooden frame-work much greater than it would be were the structure motionless, and tending to cause the falling to pieces of the machine. The ordinary custom in this case is to prop up each side of the machine with any straight pole or piece of wood which may be at hand; but the inconvenience of this plan is obvious. A straight prop is extremely diflicult of adjustment, and requires to be arranged differently for diiferent places where the machine may be set up, or for different machines, and, besides, is almost certain to work loose in a short time, rendering necessary a complete stoppage of the work and an entire readjustment of the apparatus. It will thus be seen that some arrangement is necessary whereby a prop may be obtained which is always at hand, is perfectly easy of adjustment, may be used at any angle or elevation or with a machine of any size, and has no tendency to work loose and fall from its position.

Such an apparatus I propose to furnish in my invention, which consists in a prop or brace made in two pieces, pivoted together in such a manner that the whole may be lengthened or shortened, or placed at any desired angle, as hereinafter more fully described.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 shows my brace or prop with the two parts broken apart or placed at an angle with each other. Fig. 2 shows the prop with its parts in a straight line and clasped together asin use, and Fig. 3 a perspective view of the clasp.

The prop is formed in two parts, AB,loosely jointed at F by a bolt, on which they turn, as on a pivot. The lower piece, A, is formed into a point, 0, at its lower end, that it may be more readily thrust into the ground. It also contains a number of bolt-holes, a a a, &c., of a proper size to contain the bolt F, for the purpose oflengtheningor shortening the brace, thus adapting it to be used in any elevation or with a machine of any size. The upper piece, B, contains the bolt F, joining the two parts, and has fastened to it a clasp, D, into which the piece A fits when the parts are folded together, preventing the parts from moving past each other. Also fastened by a pivot to the part B is the button E, which, when the parts .are together, is turned so as to secure themin a straight position, as in Fig. 2.

It will be seen that the clasp D prevents the brace from breaking in one direction, and the button E from breaking in the other. It will also be seen that this clasp is constructed so as to form what may be termed an open clasp. The object of this construction, when I 'follows: The button E being turned back and the brace unlocked, the point C is driven into the ground. Then, by means of the handle, the brace is broken apart and upward. The upper end of B is placed under the cleat, nailed for that purpose to the side of the machine, and the handle again pressed downward until the part A enters the clasp D and the brace becomes straight, when the button E is turned, thuslockin g the brace. Itis thus firmly maintained in a straight position.

To adapt the device for use with a machine of a different size the bolt F is withdrawn and thrust into a higher or a lower hole, as the case may be.

In practice it is of course necessary to use two braces, one on each side of the machine.

It will thus be seen that I have invented a brace or prop simple of construction, easy of adjustment, and which will always maintain itself in any required position, thus supplying a long felt Want.

What I claim as my invention is- A brace for supporting thrashing-machines consisting of the part A, containing the boltholes a a, and the part B, carrying the open clasp D button E, and bolt F, the two parts being adjustably pivoted together and the 10 whole arranged to be operated substantially as described, and for the purpose set forth.

This specification signed and witnessed this 3d day of September, 1.880.

AUSTINE SYLVESTER MCDERMOTT. Witnesses:

MONROE M. CADY, WILLIAM GRAHAM. 

